Leather was originally from a animal, as as we all know animals decompose when they depart from this world.
Here Is How Leather Is Biodegradable:
There are 2 main ways leather breaks down over time and returned to nature. This is by:
Incineration: This is the most common method of worn out leather.
Landfills: Leather is broken down to microorganisms in a landfill.
We will be discussing in the article about how leather and vegan leather is biodegradable or not, answering all of your questions on this topic.
Is Leather Biodegradable?
Leather is bio-degradable. There are different ways to break down the material and return it to the earth.
Leather is a natural material. The hide comes from animals and has been tanned to maintain its durability so that it can be used as a product.
Once the animal is slaughtered, the skin is taken off for processing and preservation before being sold as scrap or finished leather goods. Since the tanning process stabilizes the collagen in the skin, it is considered biodegradable.
Once the leather has been used and is no longer needed, there are various ways to remove the material from everyday life and return it back to nature. The most common method of recycling worn-out leather is through incineration. It can also be broken down by microorganisms in landfills, exposed to air, or exposed to water.
Is Vegan Leather Biodegradable?
Vegan leather is biodegradable but they take up to 500 years to decompose.
The materials used to make vegan leather are not animal by products so there is no need for tanning. This makes it more flexible and easier to shape, but also results in a material that does not decompose as quickly as traditional leather.
Reasons Why They Take Too Long to Decompose
1. Non-biodegradable Material
One of the polymers used in vegan leather is polyvinyl chloride (PVC). It does not break down and can take up to 500 years to decompose.
When exposed to air, water, and sunlight it releases toxic fumes and harmful chemicals into the environment. Although this substance is unlikely to enter waterways, it is a serious concern for the earth’s soil and air quality.
2. Animal Fat
Traditional leather derived from animal skins has another component to its makeup, adipic acid. This compound is used as a softening agent and makes the material more flexible. It also allows animal skin to retain moisture better than other materials such as plastic. Adipic acid is considered an animal fat and, in turn, is biodegradable.
Best Way To Dispose Of Vegan Leather
1. Natural decomposition
Since vegan leather is not suitable for landfills, the most practical way to dispose of it is through composting. When buried in a compost pile with leaves and other organic matter, the material will break down and return its nutrients back into the earth. It can take several months for this process to occur but there are no toxic fumes as it decomposes.
2. Burn
As with traditional leather, vegan leather can be incinerated and released into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide and water vapor. While there are no toxic fumes from this process, the heat release is a concern for the environment and surrounding area. As with any burning of organic matter, you must be careful not to inhale particulate matter or smoke from the fire.
Here is a article on burning leather.
3. Recycling
Although not all vegan leather is recyclable, some companies are beginning to develop a process of breaking down their materials and reusing them in different products. If your material does have this recycling feature, check with your city’s recycling program to find out what types of plastics can be recycled.
Is Vegetable Tanned Leather Biodegradable?
Vegetable-tanned leather, also known as veg-tan or vinyltan, is made from plant products such as bark and leaves, vegetable oils (such as tree bark oil), mineral salts, and organic coloring agents.
This process is heavily reliant on natural elements and does not rely on toxic chemicals such as formaldehyde, chromium or other metallic salts. This leather is biodegradable and can take 3-5 months to decompose when exposed to the elements.
Since this leather does not have a synthetic base, it can be turned into mulch and composted with organic matter. Like other natural products, it can be returned to the earth through decomposition and added nutrients.
Is Leather Bad For The Environment?
If not well managed, leather processing and manufacturing can be environmentally harmful. Toxic chemicals such as formaldehyde and chromium are still often used in the tanning process to preserve the material and give it its durability.
Burning vegan leather has no toxic fumes, but incineration of any organic matter is not good for the environment since it emits carbon dioxide which traps heat in our atmosphere.
Ways In Which Leather Is Bad For The Environment
1. Manufacturing
The process of producing leather requires the use of toxic chemicals, water, and energy. Curiously, natural dyes are rarely used to color leather since they are derived from plants which takes away from the durability of the material. However, chemical-heavy metals are still often utilized which can seep into groundwater supplies if not properly disposed of.
2. Deforestation
Although not as high of a concern as cutting down rain forests, certain types of leather such as lambskin and kidskin derive from the waste of animal agriculture. If these animals are raised for food purposes, then there will be an abundance of skins that would otherwise go to waste if they were not converted into leather. This raises ethical concerns in both the fashion industry and agriculture.
3. Animal Cruelty
According to PETA, animals in the leather industry are often beaten, injected with toxins, and confined into tight spaces in order to preserve their flesh for human consumption. Without changing this standard of treatment, vegan leather will always be considered when evaluating the consequences of animal agriculture.
4. Ecosystems
Overpopulation of livestock can severely alter ecosystems in their region. The ranching of cows, for example, causes the soil to erode away over time due to overgrazing along with deforestation and other negative changes to the environment. Without well-managed cattle ranches, leather will continue to be produced at the expense of species diversity and ecological change.
5. Toxins
The toxins used in tanning leather result in a number of health risks according to the World of Vegan. These include respiratory issues, organ failure, cancer, and skin disease. Although these chemicals are heavily regulated by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA), some are still allowed to be used in the tanning process due to a lack of complete knowledge about their toxicity.
6. Energy Consumption
The production process requires an abundance of energy, mostly in the form of electricity for high-powered machinery.
This creates a high level of carbon dioxide emissions which contribute to global warming through the greenhouse effect. Even when considering that the raw material itself is a petroleum product, vegan leather production has very little negative energy impact on the environment.
7. Burning
Although it does not emit toxins or equally polluting gasses, burning leather is still a poor choice for the environment. It requires additional fossil fuels to be burned and it releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere where our plants and trees cannot reuse it as readily as before.
Is Eco Leather Eco-Friendly?
Eco-leather is eco-friendly, but only if it is made of recycled and natural products and manufactured with low-impact dyes and processes.
When assessing vegan leather vs. regular leather, the second must always be considered as a nonrenewable resource that will pollute our environment more than plant fibers or bioengineered materials.
Here are some reasons why eco-leather is eco-friendly:
1. Made From Recycled Materials:
Eco-leather is often made from recycled materials such as plastic bottles and other fabrics that would otherwise be discarded. These products are dyed naturally and require the use of fewer chemicals than standard production processes.
2. Manufactured With Low-Impact Dyes:
Natural dyes paired with hemming and finishing techniques significantly reduce the amount of water pollution that is associated with leather tanning.
3. Made From Renewable Sources:
In addition, Eco-leather can be made from renewable sources such as cork and tree bark in a similar fashion to vegan materials. This reduces the amount of deforestation for animal agriculture and preserves our native rainforest species in the process.
4. Burning of Leather Leaves Toxic Byproducts:
On the other hand, burning leather takes away its advantage as a recyclable material. It emits toxins into the environment and contributes to the greenhouse effect through carbon dioxide production. This is why vegan leather trumps traditional materials when eco-friendly alternatives are used for either fashion or furniture.
How To Safely Burn Leather & Faux Leather
Although eco-leather is eco-friendly, it still releases harmful toxins when burned. Avoid adding leather to the fireplace, bonfire, or barbeque pit since smoke inhalation can lead to respiratory issues over time.
If you are removing worn leather furniture from your home, consider donating it to an animal shelter where they will reuse the materials to make dog beds and other pet supplies.
Since vegan leather is bio-based, it burns as cleanly as fallen leaves or dry twigs when used for outdoor fires. You can remove any metal buttons from the cover if they are attached with glue that emits toxins upon burning.
Use caution when disposing of remnants from events that serve food since the smoke can cling to cloth materials and spread across an outdoor space.
In most cases, it is healthier for the environment to buy vegan leather than traditional animal products such as cowhide or suede. Unless you are recycling your old leather items or using them as compost, throwing them away will contribute to soil erosion and release toxins that cannot be reused by the earth. For this reason, it is important to assess your personal use of leather and how it affects our planet as a whole.
